I found this media release today and thought that I'd share it with the forum.

Petcetera Closing All 45 Stores

WOODLAND HILLS, CA--(Marketwire - June 24, 2009) - Petcetera, LP, the leading Canadian owned and operated retailer of premium pet foods and supplies in Canada, has commenced a going-out-of-business sale in all of their locations.

The Petcetera concept was founded in 1997 by founder, owner, President and CEO Dan Urbani. The first store opened in Vancouver and today there are 45 of the trademark red, yellow and blue Urbani-designed Petcetera superstores from BC to Newfoundland. Their history had been built off of creating an enjoyable shopping experience for customers and their pets, with a tagline of "for the love of your pet."

With more than 10,000 pet products in 10,000 to 25,000 square feet of retail space, Petcetera is a one-stop shopping experience providing the largest selection of pet products with great customer service at everyday value prices.

The going-out-of-business sale will be conducted by Great American Group®. The sale starts June 24th and is expected to last up to 10 weeks, with some stores closing sooner.

Steven Smith, Vice President, Financial Operations of Great American Group commented, "It is disappointing to see Petcetera closing their stores, but consumers and their pets will benefit from the exceptional values and deepening discounts until all of the merchandise is sold."

Great American Group® provides a full range of asset management, disposition and financial services through three divisions: Retail Liquidation, Auction, and Appraisals & Valuations, with offices in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles and New York. For more information, please visit www.greatamerican.com.

I hope you can use it.

babymomma

June 24th, 2009, 12:54 PM

YAY! I think this is the only pet store in Newfoundland that sells puppies. WOOO HOOOO!!!!!

Also, my mom just left for st.johns (Where the store is located) and im sure she'd love to go and buy some discount stuff for keely!

Dracko

June 24th, 2009, 12:54 PM

I know the one in my area started bankruptcy proceedings a while ago. The employees said they were going through "restructuring" and not closing. I thought, "um...ok." Figured this would be the outcome.

RUSTYcat

June 24th, 2009, 12:57 PM

Here in NL we've seen this coming for months already. Disappearance of their monthly flyers, the commencement of store-wide discounting followed by a "50% off everything" - all while shelves were not being re-stocked - the response to the "Are you closing down?" question: "Oh, no...we're selling off all our old stock and starting fresh with new suppliers"...

From their website:
June 17, 2009

Canadian Petcetera Limited Partnership

Receivership Process Summary

On June 16, 2009 PricewaterhouseCoopers Inc. was appointed as Trustee in Bankruptcy and appointed Receiver Manager of Canadian Petcetera Limited Partnership (the ‘Company’)by a court order.

The Receiver Manager plans to keep the stores open and operate them through a liquidation process, expected to begin by the end of June, 2009. During the liquidation period all animals in the Receiver Manager’s care will be tended to by store staff in the usual manner. The Receiver Manager has requested that the animal shelters and non-profit societies that provided animals to Petcetera to care for while awaiting adoption take these animals back into their custody .The small animals and fish purchased by Petcetera for resale will be sold, and in the meantime cared for by store staff in the same manner as before the Receivership.

Petcetera employs 704 active employees most of whom are being rehired by the Receiver Manager to support the efforts to liquidate the Company’s inventory over the next three to four months.

RUSTYcat

June 24th, 2009, 01:03 PM

YAY! I think this is the only pet store in Newfoundland that sells puppies. WOOO HOOOO!!!!!

Sorry to disappoint you.........Pets Unlimited (http://pets-unlimited.ca/index.html) with 2 locations (St. John's and Mount Pearl) are still "at it". (The St. John's location, as of a couple of years ago, was the subject of many complaints to the SPCA.....

MommaKat

June 24th, 2009, 01:43 PM

I'm actually kinda bummed :sad: . The Petcetera in Fredericton had a beautiful cat room in their store to show off adoptable cats from the Frederiction SPCA.

I'll have to go with Hubby to see if we can some stuff for the furries though :rolleyes:.

babymomma

June 24th, 2009, 02:12 PM

Sorry to disappoint you.........Pets Unlimited (http://pets-unlimited.ca/index.html) with 2 locations (St. John's and Mount Pearl) are still "at it". (The St. John's location, as of a couple of years ago, was the subject of many complaints to the SPCA.....

*Slaps hand to forehead* oops. Wrong one. I get them both mixed up.. petcetera is where i got my beautiful sophie (:rip:) from.. Still sucks that pet stores sell small animals and stuff... So petcetera isnt the bad one after all! Hmmmph. Oh well.. Lets just hope the other 2 get shut down (At least the selling of puppies)..

chico2

June 24th, 2009, 02:23 PM

I could see that coming,our Petcetera is ALWAYS empty,great opportunity now to get a new cat-tree.
I bought one the on sale for $59,hopefully I can get a good one.
Hubby would disagree,we already have 2,but.....:laughing:
They,like Pet-Smart also do no sell high-end food,but they had a nice cat-adoption room.

mikischo

June 24th, 2009, 03:04 PM

For many years, Petcetera acted as a satellite for the Winnipeg Humane Society as well as SPCA's in other cities throughout Canada and did not sell dogs and cats from breeders. In recent months, it stopped taking animals from the Winnipeg Humane Society (perhaps due to the financial difficulties?) although apparently it was still doing it in other cities.

Call it fate or whatever you like, but had it not been for my son going into one of Petcetera's stores in 2001 and finding Mickey, our beautiful boy:cat:, we would never have had the opportunity to enjoy the 8 (too short, but very wonderful, blessed years) we had with him. There were several other younger cats at the store, but my son was drawn to this beautiful, cool, laid back 10 year old. He didn't make a decision to take him home the first day but within a couple of days went back to get him, only to find he was no longer there. When he enquired they told my son that Mickey had been taken back to the Humane Society to treat an ear infection. My son immediately marched down to the Humane Society, adopted him on the spot and took him home along with his ear medications that very day. My son kept Mickey in his apartment for almost a year but then had to move temporarily to an apartment that had a strongly enforced no pet policy. Of course Mickey came to live with Mom (me). About a year later, when my son was once more able to keep him, we decided Mickey was better off continuing to stay with me in the larger home I could provide and in surroundings he had become accustomed to.

Exactly one month ago today, our sweet beautiful :angel2:boy went to the bridge at the age of 18. I still feel a lot of pain and sadness and I will love him forever. Mickey gave me more in those 8 years than I could ever return. I'm sure many of you on this board can identify with my feelings. I am so grateful that we found him and had those precious years with him.

It is unfortunate that the Petcetera stores that chose to help the shelters to adopt out homeless animals, rather than supporting the breeders and puppy mills, have been forced to close their doors.

A bit off topic, but for anyone who is looking to adopt a cat or dog, please do not hesitate for one minute to take an older animal. They give so much and, no matter how young or old an animal is, there is never a guarantee as to how long you will have them.

chico2

June 24th, 2009, 04:56 PM

Mikischo,very true:cat:
I was at Pet-Smart the other day and each cage had kittens in it,normally they are grown cats.
I stayed away,but it's so sad ,that people don't care enough to spay/neuter.:yell:

mafiaprincess

June 26th, 2009, 02:05 PM

Thanks for the heads up. I went to the Ajax one. Their liquidation sale back end of march or beginning of april was a far better sale. The crates and xpens had be 70% off. Got both cockers a wire crate then for 36 each.

Sale now was 30 percent off crates.. 10-30 percent off toys, bowls, 40 off leashes..